Contaminants Special Investigation | Apply Online

FAQs: Contaminants Special Investigation (F12AS00368)

What is the "Contaminants Special Investigation" opportunity?

It was a discretionary research funding opportunity from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service focused on a specific contaminants question: understanding the impacts of large-scale herbicide use on an endangered butterfly.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number is F12AS00368.

Which federal agency offered this funding?

The opportunity was offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

What type of work was this funding intended to support?

It was categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development, indicating it was intended to support applied scientific investigation rather than general program delivery.

What specific research question was the grant focused on?

The announcement targeted research to understand how large-scale herbicide use affects an endangered butterfly.

What kind of award instrument was used (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?

The award was structured as a cooperative agreement.

What does it mean that the award was a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically means the agency expected substantial involvement during the project. Examples may include coordination on study design, access to sites or data, review of methods, or collaboration on interpretation of results (as described in the opportunity summary).

How many awards were expected?

The opportunity anticipated a single award.

What was the total estimated funding amount?

The total estimated funding was $40,160.

What were the award ceiling and floor?

Both the award ceiling and the award floor were $40,160.

Does having the same ceiling and floor change how budgeting works?

Yes. Because the ceiling and floor were identical, the project budget was effectively fixed at $40,160 rather than offered as a funding range.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

What CFDA listing was associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA listing was 15.650, labeled "Research Grants (Generic)."

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was restricted to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

What kinds of organizations does "public and state-controlled institutions of higher education" typically include?

This typically includes state universities, public university systems, and similar public academic entities.

Are private universities eligible for this opportunity?

Based on the eligibility statement provided, eligibility was restricted to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, which would exclude private universities.

Are nonprofits or commercial firms eligible to apply?

Based on the eligibility statement provided, eligibility was restricted to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, rather than nonprofits or commercial firms.

Why was eligibility so narrow?

The announcement described limited, highly targeted funding with a single expected award. The narrow eligibility aligns with the apparent intent to fund a specific academic research effort relevant to ecological, toxicological, or conservation biology expertise.

When was the opportunity posted?

It was posted on August 9, 2012 (created August 8, 2012).

What was the application deadline?

The original and current closing date was August 17, 2012.

When was the opportunity archived?

It was archived on August 23, 2012.

How long was the application window?

Based on the posted date (August 9, 2012) and closing date (August 17, 2012), the application window was very short.

What does the short turnaround suggest about the agency's need?

The rapid turnaround suggests the agency likely had a time-sensitive need for the study or had identified a specific research gap requiring quick initiation, such as addressing immediate management questions, documenting exposure pathways, or informing herbicide use decisions in habitats associated with the endangered butterfly.

Where was the opportunity posted for applicants to access?

The announcement referenced Grants.gov as the primary source for access.

Who was the listed contact for administrative or application assistance?

Debra Insley was listed as the grants specialist contact.

What contact information was provided for the grants specialist?

Phone: 503-231-6179
Email: debrainsley@fws.gov

Is this opportunity still open?

No. It had a closing date of August 17, 2012 and was archived on August 23, 2012.

What was the overall purpose of this funding opportunity?

It was designed as a small, single-project federal research opportunity to generate actionable science on how broad herbicide applications might affect an endangered butterfly, aligning contaminants investigation with species conservation and habitat management needs.